The Shield and Sword of John Connor
by TOK117
Summary: She lives a lonely life with a singular purpose of protecting John. Cameron Phillips is John Connor's shield. If John has a shield he must have a sword. David Thatcher is a troubled young man who only has one friend in school:Cameron Baum. Through a series of events David discovers that Cameron is not who she seems to be. This is the story of Cameron's best friend... Jameron!
1. Cameron has a friend

[Please go easy on me...this is my first fan fiction piece. I would greatly appreciate some constructive criticism or anything that you think I could do to improve my writing. I don't know if all the chapters will be this long...they will probably vary but I will keep any readers out there posted so you don't think I fell off the face of the Earth.]

**Cameron's Phillips has a best friend...**

Lab class is the best part of David Thatcher's day.

David walked towards his table, threw his bag underneath it, and took a seat.

"Good morning David how are you?"

She had the warmest smile he had ever seen. Her hair always looked like something you would only see in TV commercials. The thing David like about her the most though were her eyes. They managed to turn even the shittiest of days into good ones. Like the day when he got into a fight with the janitor because the bastard stole his iPod. Of course everyone sided with the janitor because everyone hated David...well not everyone.

"I'm doing alright I suppose, got fired from my job for telling off a customer."

"Bummer..."

"Yea you said it. But hey I got you to cheer me up. Nothing like working on a miserable lab with a buddy right?"

"Don't you mean: Nothing like copying Cameron's answers for the lab?"

Apparently he wasn't the only one to hear that last remark because everyone was laughing. John leaned back in his chair and gave his sister an awkward look that nearly screamed _shut the hell up. _Through all the laughter only Cameron and David noticed Johns glare and Cameron instantly stopped laughing. David was worried. This wasn't the first time he had saw the siblings give each other glares of doom. Whenever one would draw to much attention the other was glaring them down.

"Cam? Are you okay?"

"I'm am fine David. Would you like my lab answers?"

She wasn't joking. Her voice was low and she wouldn't look him in the eye.

"No I don't want your answers I want you to tell me what's wrong. Don't bother telling me you're fine because that's what you told me last time... Cam I consider you to be my only friend at this hellhole because you are the only person who doesn't bullshit people. Is it...is it John? Is...he hurting you?"

Her eyes shot up at David. He could tell she was not exactly happy. He knew she was feeling something. It wasn't fear. David thought it was anger but the look she gave him was empty. There was no emotion.

"Look Cam, brother or not if John is hurting you I swear to god I will kill him. I will kick his-"

David could not finish speaking. Something was wrong. Cameron's glare was more menacing than anything he had ever seen. The beautiful eyes that use to make his shitty days less shitty were dead. All David could see was...nothing. Cameron's glare was chilling.

"Cam? Look I'm sorry. I know it's not my business but you don't- just stop giving me that look okay."

Cameron cocked her head slightly to the side. She leaned in so close to David their noses nearly touched. David was nervous from her glare but he wasn't the type to back away if some got close. Her eyes watched his carefully. She placed her hands on his shoulders and spoke in a low voice.

"David. I am fine."

"Cam you don't have t-"

Her grip became so tight David raised his shoulders and even winced a little.

"Everything is fine David. Don't you trust your friend?"

Like flipping a switch Cameron leaned back, smiled, and let go of David's shoulders. The bell rang and Cameron got up to leave but before she did David grabbed her hand. She turned and smiled down at him. David reached his hand into his right pocket and took out a small silver coin.

"Here take this. Just keep it in one of the pockets in your jacket or something."

Cameron studied the small coin and held it up to her face. On one side it had a smooth silver finish and on the other side there was a small angel. David stood up and headed for the door.

"David what is this?"

"It's a pocket angel"

Cameron cocked her head just enough to let David know that she still didn't understand.

"It was a gift from my mom. She gave it to me three years ago on my birthday. She told me as long as I keep that in my pocket a guardian angel would always protect me. It sounds like bullshit, I know but, I believed her. And I still do. If it wasn't for that damn thing I would probably be dead now. So I am giving it to you Cameron...to keep you safe...hopefully."

She dropped the little coin in her front jacket pocket the smiled.

"Thank you for explaining. See you later David."

That was the last time David ever saw John and Cameron Baum.

**Some time later...**

David hadn't seen John or Cameron at school for well over two weeks. Cameron didn't seem like the kind of girl to leave without saying goodbye to a friend. She would always wave to David whether it was in the middle of the day or the end of class. That would get her a ton of crap from other people because she was among the three people in school who would communicate with David. The other two were John and the school security guard named Jerome.

He watched the line of students pass through the metal detectors and remembered Cameron's ordeal. Every day she would set off the alarm because of her "metal head". After the two of them got through he would always tap her head with his knuckle and tell her, "doesn't feel like metal to me."

She would always smile and say, "if only you knew!"

He was about to cross the detector but stopped. _Fuck this... _He spun around and ran. As he pushed past other students he could hear the security could yell at him but he didn't care. Friends were rare for David and he wasn't about to let one go. Jerome would just have to deal.

**The Baum residence**:

He pulled up in front of were Cameron used to live. He was sure this was the place because he saw Cameron's address on one of the damn forms they had to turn in at the beginning of the year. Did he feel like a stalker? He didn't think so especially since this was the first time he ever tried to visit. He got out of his car and walked to the door and knocked three times. No answer. He knocked again. Still nothing.

"Hey there! Who are you looking for?"

David turned to see a blonde woman holding a baby.

"Uh hi. I'm David. I am a friend of Cameron's. Cameron Baum? I haven't seen her at school for a while and wanted to check up on her."

The lady turned around and started to walk towards the house next to Cameron's. She let out a sigh. David could clearly tell that the Baum family wasn't home and he suddenly got a feeling they weren't coming back.

"Hey kid come on inside. I'll get you something to drink."

Normally David wouldn't go in a stranger's home, even if it was the home of a pleasant looking mother and child, but this lady might be his only hope of finding Cameron. David went to his car and grabbed his phone and his 9mm glock. While it wasn't as strong as the guardian angel he gave to Cameron, it would have to do. He then entered the neighbor's home...

**Lemonade**:

The lemonade was good. It had the perfect sweet to sour ratio. After taking his last sip he gently placed the glass down on the table. About 10 feet away from the table was a crib with a sleeping baby in it. David thought it was beautiful. As annoying as a screaming baby was, there was something different about a sleeping one. They were so peaceful that it almost made him forget about his own life. Nothing was more pure than a newborn and nothing was stronger than a mothers love for her child. The blonde woman sighed and turned to David.

"So you were friends with Cameron?"

"Yeah... She was my only friend. I never knew anyone like her. She was always honest. Always. It didn't matter if you were a friend or not she would give it to you straight. People like her are rare. Friends like her are rare. I occasionally talked to John but…we were more like two people who happened to know Cameron."

"Hmmm. Yeah she was definitely different. Were you and her...you know...close?"

David didn't know. He didn't think she felt anything like that for him and as beautiful as she was he had never had those kinds of feelings for her. They had been true genuine friends. The more he thought of her like _that_ the more it screwed with his head.

"We were just friends. She was my only friend... Please, I need to find her."

"I want to help you but...I don't know if I can. I don't think you would believe me if I told you."

"Are they-are they dead?"

"NO! GOD no... But they are on the run. And no, they aren't criminals. When I first met them..."

She proceeded to tell David everything from Sarah staying with her at the hospital to John sneaking Riley over. Neighbors see more than you think.

"I always found them to be a little off...they definitely were not the average family. Before they left...John and Cameron came over without informing Sarah... And they told me things...showed me... If I tell you, you are gonna think I'm crazy as hell but I SWEAR on my baby boy that what I saw was real."

David could tell the woman was serious. She was starting to tear up a bit and even shake.

"What did they show you?"

"Cameron and John aren't siblings. They aren't related. Their last name isn't Baum. It's Connor. Sarah and John Connor and Cameron is Cameron Phillips."

David recognized the name Sarah Connor. Hell everyone knows it. Before 9/11 Sarah Connor was the definition of terrorist: single lady goes crazy and blows the shit out of a building because robots are going to kill everyone. Everyone thought she was dead. _But what in the hell does Cameron have to do with all this. _

"Ok so your neighbors were the infamous Sarah Connor and her son but why was Cameron with them?"

She took a large gulp of her lemonade and set it down slowly. Her eyes fell to the table.

"Cameron... She is kinda like a bodyguard...I guess that's the term for her. She... Have you...did you ever notice anything REALLY WEIRD about her? And I mean REALLY REALLY WEIRD?"

David thought about it for a long time. Cameron was definitely different from other girls but he never thought she was being weird...unless you count the awkward death glare.

"Did she ever do anything...that you wouldn't think a typical high school girl could do?"

David remembered the suicide. He didn't know the girl who jumped and while it was a shame she jumped because of the trolling asswipes at school he only distinctly remembered one thing from that day.

"John was running towards the building...the girl was going to jump. He looked determined as hell to stop her. John isn't the biggest guy but anyone could tell he could handle himself...but before he could even get near the entrance to the building...Cameron just grabbed his arm and...He couldn't move. She on the other hand didn't even budge...not one bit. He kept trying to go to the building but she wouldn't allow it... And then he started to complain but..."

The blonde woman was now looking directing at David. He felt the woozy feeling you only get when you know that shit is gonna hit the fan.

"Listen David, what I am about to tell came straight from johns mouth... And I thought he was joking but... She showed me. David... Cameron is a machine."

David stood up and shook his head. He slid his hand through his hair and let out a sigh. The thought of his only friend being a machine...made him laugh. David laughed so loud that it woke the baby. He didn't mean to but he couldn't stop. The image of Cameron with big red eyes and metal hands went through his head. She looked ridiculous but strangely he could see it. Thinking about robo-cam made him laugh even harder. The woman stood up and hurried to grab her child from the crib. Ironically her newborn was giving her a quiet and confused look while the teenager was crying from his violent laughter.

"So you think I'm kidding? Wonderful! I invite Cameron's concerned friend over to tell him something I swore to John that I would never tell AND HE LAUGHS IN MY FACE! Fine don't believe me? I'll tell you where John went and if you ever see one of them ask them about Skynet. Lets see if you will laugh at that! Now help me out and grab me a new pacifier this one fell on the floor."

David gave the woman a hand with her newborn and went on his way. Before he left she grabbed his arm and told him to not only believe what John tells him, but to prepare too. Putting aside robo-cam David thought she was being serious. He assured her he would find them and rat her out for disclosing info about the classified robo-cam. She punched his arm and smiled...then she kicked him out. David walked over to his car, opened his door, sat down, and turned on the radio. He sat back in his seat and let out a sigh. _What the hell are you doing cam?_ As he looked at his rear view mirror he heard something...a name. David reached for the radio volume dial like it was crucial to his very existence.

"_This just in folks. The jail where the long sought after terrorist Sarah Connor was being held has had a massive riot. Multiple gunshots have been fired. It is not clear whether or not anyone has been injured. We advise all citizens to stay clear of the jail, as there are prisoners on the loose including the terrorist Sarah Connor who was responsible for the Cyberdyne bombing. We are trying to get in contact with-"_

David put his car in gear. He had never been to prison before...

**Jail:**

They were everywhere. Thieves, murderers, and rapists were running around like frantic ants. Some where in that crowd of orange jumpsuits was a terrorist. David thought carefully about what he was going to do. He couldn't just walk in and ask for the infamous Sarah Connor as prisoners were rioting...it might seem weird. He was not going to shoot anyone either. He only had one choice: to watch the prisoners and hope he sees her.

_Ill be damned_

David would be damned. While the horde of prisoners were slamming into a crowd of police there was one prisoner running to the side. She was running next to some one else: a girl. Not just any girl but one David knew. It was Cameron. She got into a vehicle with Sarah and someone else. David wasn't going to lose her again.

He followed them until they were on the freeway. They were clearly taking advantage of the fact that most of the city's cops were trying to apprehend the prisoner horde. Both cars were going well over the speed limit.

_Okay so my friend is working with a terrorist that's not so bad. It's not like Cams blew up any buildings or anything. This is all fucked up. Shit. Shit shit. SHIT!_

They weren't in front of him anymore. They were to the right... Taking the exit.

David didn't have anytime to lose. He slammed his brakes, looked behind him, and reversed through traffic. Once he was close enough he put it in drive and hauled ass. They were heading toward the city. _If you're trying to get away from the city you're doing a shitty job. _He wasn't sure who he was directing his thought to Cameron, Sarah or the driver. After staying on their tail for a few more minutes they finally stopped. They were at the Zeira corp building. David watched as Sarah entered the building through the front door with another familiar face: John. Cameron drove the car to the underground parking garage. David rested his head on the steering wheel and put his hands on his head. He genuinely cared for Cameron but charging into a corporate building guns blazing wasn't exactly how he wanted to see her again. He pulled in front of the main entrance and parked. This is what he had done nearly he whole life. David had made stupid decisions one after the other. Hopefully this one wont get him killed. He reached into to his pocket to make sure he had his mother's pocket angel and then he remembered that he gave it to Cameron.

_Keep her safe...please._

He tucked his glock in the back of his jeans and got out of his car. He left it running...

**Zeira corp guest lobby TV**:

"_... It's bright and sunny folks! Today's high is 83 and we are going to stay in the lower 80's for the rest of this week but all good things must come to an end. People we are going to have rain and lots of it. Just look at that up north folks, and watch as this week finishes that system is gonna move south and bring TONS OF MOISTURE. And that means rain and lots of it. Everyday next week has over a 50% chance of severe weather. Best prepare folks...there's a storm coming..." _

**Zeira corp raid: **

David approached the front desk calmly and observed the security guard. He was wearing a black suit and had on an id badge. _Mr. Vargas today is not gonna be your day. _

"Excuse me sir, can you tell me if I am going to the right place? I'm from out of town and I was heading towards-"

As the man leaned over the desk to take a look at the map David grabbed him by the back of the head and slammed him down. David grabbed the unconscious guard and pulled him into the bathroom. A slightly different Mr. Vargas exited the restroom and walked over to an elevator. Once the elevator door shut David pressed the basement level and a small scanner started glowing. David slid Mr. Vargas's id under the beam and was satisfied when he felt the elevator move down. The quiet whirring of the elevator bothered David. He didn't know why it bothered him. Maybe it was the consistent whirring or maybe it was just the calm before the storm.

The elevator doors sprung open revealing a series of longs concrete hallways. As David exited the elevator he heard two people speaking: a man and…Cameron. David darted through the hallway as fast as he could but as he turned a corner he met the confused looks of two security guards. Before they could even question why some teen was wearing Vargas's outfit and id David whipped out the Taser he got off of Vargas and shot one guard in the chest. The man immediately fell while the other reached for his gun but it was to late David went back around the corner he came from. The man followed but was surprised to meet face to face with the butt of David's glock as he turned the corner. David rushed past the knocked out security officers and continued down the hallway to find a locked door. On the other side he heard Cameron telling someone to…get it over with.

_Get what over with? GET WHAT OVER W- oh…SHIT!_

David slammed his fists as hard as he could on the door.

"CAMERON! LET ME IN! Don't do whatever… your gonna… do in there!"

He heard no response. David remembered the last time he heard no response. It was when you found his mother lying on the floor next to his sister. They were covered in blood and gunshot wounds.

_Not again…_

David held up his gun to the door and shot all around the lock with the remainder of his clip. He moved away from the door then ran into it as hard as possible. The door flew open revealing Cameron back sitting in a chair while some man was cutting her scalp open. She was covered in blood…and gunshot wounds.

"CAMERON! NO!"

David rushed into the man. It seemed like a good idea but when he collided with the stranger he felt like he ran into a wall. The strange man looked down at David and smiled. David had never seen a creepier smile in his life. The man offered his hand and kept smiling. David stared at the man's hand and saw the blood…Cameron's blood. He looked to his side to see Cameron and froze. Half of her face was gone revealing a metal skull with one bright red eye. She had gunshot wounds everywhere and she was soaked in her own blood. Vivid images of David's family came back to him.

His mother looked so frightened. She had wrapped her arms around his sister, most likely to somehow protect her. His baby sister had the look of absolute terror on her face. She probably watched their mother die trying to shelter her. David's 15th birthday was definitely a surprise.

"C-Cameron?"

Cameron smiled and stood up out of her chair. She limped over to stand directly above David. David was shaking and couldn't tell if it was because he was shocked, afraid, or freezing because the basement was very cold. Cameron offered her hand to David. He noticed some metal bone showing but didn't care. Cameron was his friend even if she was robo-cam. He took her hand and got up.

"So…Robo-Cam. It's true isn't it?"

"Yes it is true."

"Judgment day? John Connor is Commander Shepard?"

Cameron did her typical head tilt to the side and her one eye grew large.

"YES, John Connor is Commander Shepard."

David laughed at her. The way she said things was always a little weird, but in its own way funny. He grabbed her hand that had exposed metal. He held it with both his hands.

"Cam are you going to die?"

"I am not 100% David. This body is practically useless and the time and effort required to repair it would be too costly."

"So is your whole body? Are you completely?"

"I am a cybernetic organism. To put it in what John calls laymen's terms, I am Metal inside and living tissue outside. I am not Robo-Cam."

"No... and you're not Cameron Baum either. You're Cameron Phillips... So was everything you did as Cameron Baum a lie? Were you just pretending this whole time? When you told Nathan his brown coat was _tight_ were you lying? Is Cameron Baum a lie?"

She pulled her hand away from his. Her eyes dropped to the floor and the came back up to meet David's questioning glare. Cameron raised her hand up to her face and stared at it. Through all of the ripped cloth and skin all there was, was metal. She moved her hand to where David could see it.

"David, I am a machine. I don't think any of Cameron Baum or Cameron Phillips is a lie, but I don't think they are true. Underneath this layer of skin is a metal endoskeleton that was built with a singular purpose of infiltrating the human resistance and terminating John Connor."

"TMI Cam..."

She gave him her best _get the fuck over it face _then continued.

"The best way to infiltrate is not to act the part. The best and most efficient way is to BE the part. I will change my name depending on where my mission takes me but I am always Cameron."

"So what you are saying is that besides the different last names Cameron Baum and Cameron Phillips are the same?"

"What I am saying David, is that I really did think Nathan's brown coat was tight..."

He grabbed her hand and placed his other hand on the metal half of her face.

"Cam I don't give a shit what you are. You're my friend. I was warned about what the real situation was and didn't believe it. Well I didn't want to believe it..."

"The Neighbor?"

"Yeah the neighbor. Now I didn't beat the hell out of three guards just for fun. I came here to find a friend."

"Only three guards? Way to make a girl feel special. I walked in the front door of a jail and shot up the place to save Sarah."

David looked her dead in the eye. Did she just make fun of him?

"Oh sure make fun of your buddy who saves you from getting your head ripped open. Speaking of which…"

David turned away from Cameron and back to the strange man. He was still smiling... exactly like he was 2 minutes ago. David was more repulsed by this guy than a blood covered, torn, shot up, bleeding, and metal Cameron.

"Hello Mr. Thatcher, My name is John Henry. How are you doing today?"

"Are you serious?"

"I am not sure…what do you mean by serious?"

"Well for starters you son of a bitch, YOU WERE CUTTING MY FRIENDS HEAD OPEN!"

At this point Cameron placed her hand on David's shoulder and held him almost as hard as she did in lab.

"David he is not the enemy. John Henry was trying to-"

"KILL YOU! I'll be damned if that will happen. Just try it a-hole! Take one more step closer to- AAHHHH SHIT!"

Cameron squeezed his arm so tight he felt like it was going to pop. She grabbed his other arm and lifted him. She was holding him in the air like Simba…David couldn't pry her hands off him.

"David you need to calm down. David. David you need to calm down."

"CAMERON PHILLIPS I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU ARE MADE OF I WILL KICK YOU! QUIT WAVING ME AROUND LIKE FUCKING SIMBA! THIS CREEPER TRIED TO KILL YOU!"

John Henry reacted in less than a nanosecond and began to sing the intro to the Circle of Life. David was angry to say the least. He broke multiple laws, beat up three guards, found Cameron, and stopped creepy smiley man from further cutting her head. Now he was being treated like a child.

"Cameron put me down...please."

"Are you going to attack John Henry?"

"No...but I want some answers."

"Very well."

Cameron walked over to the chair she was sitting in and placed David down. David immediately jumped out of the chair when he felt his clothes begin to soak in some of Cameron's blood.

"CHRIST! Cam! You don't just put your friend down in a pool of your own blood!"

"My blood is artificial David. The worst it will do is stain your clothing. Does it disgust you?"

"No Cam, it doesn't disgust me it reminds me...of...The point is friends do lots of things to each but they don't sit each other down in POOLS OF BLOOD!"

"So does this mean we aren't friends anymore?"

"No Cam it means I am soaking in your blood. We are still friends. But I swear if you ever treat me like Simba again I will…do something…"

"You can't do anything David."

"Oh shut up and I could so do something…I just haven't thought of it yet. What the hell are we doing anyways? We need to leave ASAP. Most the city cops are still trying to put down the riot. My car is out front ready to-"

Cameron grabbed David's hand and looked him straight in the eye.

"David…I have to leave but…I cant leave with you…"


	2. I'm Sorry

**UPDATE:** I fixed the John Henry chip issue…Still working on other parts…

( **olischulu**: to address your first point, I wanted it to seem like Cameron thought she knew what had to happen. I wanted David to originally be a character like Martin in that he always runs the bomb to the tank. Cameron knows David from her future because David will do certain things crucial to the resistance. To address your second point, I messed up. I haven't watched the show in a while and can't believe I let something like that slip. I apologize I will fix it and try to avoid such a stupid mistake later. True Cameron wouldn't be a 100% sure if John would follow her but I am writing this as if most of it had already happened. "Even if it happened in a prior timeline she could not be sure that it would happen again."ßThis is what I'm trying to set up. Cameron thinks things will happen as they have before but that is basically what will be the largest conflict in this story. Things happen that stray from the set path. I think Cameron's role was not just as John's protector but his teacher as well. I think Sarah taught him everything she could and that is where Cameron comes in. She helps finalize his transformation into the future leader of mankind. I think she knows that the TDE leads John to the camp that Kyle, Derek, and Allison are located at and has him come through so he can experience living with the resistance. As for Weaver knowing, I want this to have to do with this future being different.

** Cameronfan**: I PROMISE YOU DAVID and Cameron will never, NEVER be together! Cameron likes John and John likes Cameron. This is JAMERON! Rest assured Cameron sees David as a friend and possibly her only other friend other than John. David however might have mixed feelings later on and I can tell you it won't play a big part. I have no plans of turning this into twilight:terminator. While I do consider David a partial self insert please hear me out: I am not trying to write a story where my self insert is romantically involved with Cam and steals her away from John. I try to self-insert things like reactions. Cameron allows David to access her chip because she tells him that _he may have to do this later. _ Also Davids strong friendship with her is part of the reason because later in the future David always backs up Cameron. Asides from John David is one of the very few who genuinely believe that Cameron can feel and be human. She knows this.

** TheWizardofOzbourne**: Things will change later on. I am sorry if this chapter bothered you I clearly need to go watch the show again because I did make some stupid mistakes (John Henry having a chip). The four strangers are not Derek Reese or his pals. Older Derek is dead at this point from being shot in the head. These are…others… I am not sure if this works but in my story David is like Martin Bedell. Cameron and Weaver both know who he is because of what he does in the future just as Derek knew Martin and what he does. As for Weaver knowing where David would be, sure John may have not told her but David could have. I get what you're saying though. I need to carefully check whether or not some characters have knowledge of events. I will not repeat this chapter's flaw…hopefully. The reason Weaver gave him that tape is the same reason John had to go to the future. The few weeks that David is with Sarah will change him. He won't just be better trained. His outlook on life will change. Just as John's will in the future. It will be during this time period where Cameron and Weaver's expected result will change drastically. Like you said, "…Sure something's are repeated, but things always change." David is supposed to become Cameron's most loyal supporter second only to John (by supporter I mean recognize she has physical and emotional feelings). While John and David aren't best buddies John has respect for David because David follows both John and Cameron full heartedly no questions asked. When people who have a mindset like Dietze give Cameron or John crap David will always back them up.

[Hello everyone. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I am trying to set up a massive amount of conflict in future chapters from now. After reading this chapter I think you might be able to tell what might come down the road. Two things I would like to mention: 1. JAMERON! Don't worry I will supply you with Jameron in the next chapter. I am going to include some conflict between David and John when it comes to Cameron but don't worry…you wont see any TEAM DAVID or TEAM JOHN from me. There might be a little bit of that but I won't overkill it I PROMISE. 2. I apologize for the time it takes me to get these out. I am a college student and I have to put my grades first but I do try to write as much as possible. Anyhow enjoy and if you have any questions and/or recommendations please let me know!]

**I'm Sorry…**

"David…I have to leave but…I cant leave with you…"

Cameron walked past him and sat down in her bloody chair. Even with half her face gone David saw that she was not happy.

"David, I am broken. This body is failing and I only know of one place to get a new one. This place also happens to be where John Henry must go."

"Oh OK that all makes sense!" David was being sarcastic.

"WAIT NO IT DOESN'T! Why the hell was he trying to slice open your head?"

Cameron lifted her hand and began to tap on the side of her head.

"Do you see this small circle? This a protective cap for my chip. Most of _us_ have one. The chip is our brain and without it we become useless. My chip is just as unique as I am."

David let out a small smile and walked over to her. He tapped her head gently with his knuckles.

"Doesn't feel like metal to me."

Cam smiled back at him.

"If only you knew."

For David it felt like they were both going through the metal detector at school again. He didn't even realize John Henry walked up next to him.

" ?"

"Huh…Yeah what do you want?"

" I am not going to harm Cameron. I am going to help all of us. She is currently experiencing multiple system failures. To repair her current endo-skeleton would require weeks of service, which would leave John Connor, unprotected. I need her chip in order to travel through time."

David's eyes were watering up. He couldn't help it. When he found his mother and sister there was nothing he could do…he had been to late. He was always too damn late. But here he was standing in the same room with his only true friend and he could not do anything to prevent losing her. He turned to face John Henry with a quivering chin.

"Why?"

"I am a fully functioning artificial intelligence. I am always growing and learning. My current hardware is no longer sufficient to support me."

The room was a cave of technology. It had things David had never seen before. _How the hell is this not sufficient enough?_

"What's so important about Cameron's chip?"

Cameron turned her chair to face him.

"My chip is one of a kind. In the future the resistance will fight many terminators. Most of them will be similar to John Henry in size and shape. The majority of them also have a similar chip. While these chips are more advanced than anything humanity has now, they pale in comparison to mine."

"How, is yours better Cam?"

"Like I said before… The best way to infiltrate is not to act the part. The best and most efficient way is to BE the part. I was made to be the part while they merely act…and do a bad job at it too. You think I can be weird sometimes but if you hanged out with a T-888 you would think I was a normal girl. No offense John Henry."

"None taken Ms. Phillips."

"Anyhow David the point is my chip is so advanced that I can fit all of John Henry on to it. He is going to put himself on my chip and then insert my chip into his endoskeleton. We will both travel forward through time in order to get me a new body and John Henry his own chip. After we accomplish that we can hopefully return."

"So where do I fit in?"

Cameron gave him the most apologetic face she could with half a face.

"You have to protect Sarah Connor. In a moment John, Sarah, and Catherine Weaver will arrive. John will be distraught at seeing my powered down body. He will see the message I leave him and will follow Ms. Weaver through time to find me. You MUST NOT STOP HIM. "

"Cam why don't we just wait till he gets down here and-"

"DAVID! Please listen to me. I know you want to but you CAN'T. He has to follow me. It is part of how he becomes…Commander Shepard. "

The both of them smiled.

"David you have to keep Sarah and yourself safe. You both are crucial to the resistance. You watch her back and she will watch…everything. Sarah is a hard woman to live with…believe me. But her judgment is usually right and she can help train you. Just don't piss her off."

"Cam I don't need training. I know how to shoot a gun and how to fight."

"David you need to learn how to fight me…_us."_

With that she nodded at John Henry who stepped closer to her. He gently pushed David to the side. With a knife John Henry removed the small metal cap on the side of Cameron's head. David was watch intensely. Part of him knew this had to happen, but the other part wanted to scream and attack John Henry. As John Henry placed his hand on Cameron's chip she stopped him.

"Wait. David…will you do it?"

David's chest sank. Was she really asking him to remove her brain? Trying to hold back tears and talk was very hard.

"C-Cam…What the fuck?"

"David you might have to do this to me another day. It is best to prepare."

"JESUS CHRIST! Cam I can't…I… I WON'T. Do you even realize what you're asking me to do?"

"David please…I want you to do it. I am not asking you to only prepare you…I am asking you because I trust you. The only other human hands that I have allowed to touch my chip are John's."

"Can't you…you know do it yourself?"

"Technically yes. While I cannot self terminate I can shut my self down in various ways: this being one of them. But David…sometimes it helps to have a hand."

David took a few shy steps towards her and looked down at her head. He rubbed his face with both hands and let out a sigh.

"A-Alright…ok… I'll do it."

David took hold of the end of Cameron's chip. She closed her one human eye.

"Twist and pull."

He slowly twisted the chip counter-clockwise. David's hands were trembling. He tried pulling. At least he thought he did.

"David…"

"Cam I don't think-"

"David we don't have time"

His thumb and index fingers pinched her chip. David pulled a little and felt the chip start to move. Cam opened her eye and looked right at him. She gave him the same smile she would always give him and then frowned.

"I'm sorry-"

David pulled the chip. He felt like someone had just pulled a knife out of his lung. The chip was slightly larger than a stick drive. Its shape and design actually reminded David of Obi-Wan Kenobi's light saber. John Henry held out his hand.

" the chip please."

David collected himself and faced the smiling John Henry. He glared right into the machines eyes.

"John Henry, I am going to give you this chip. You are going to keep Cameron safe at any cost. You ARE going to bring her back. Because… if she doesn't come back, or is hurt I swear to you that I will make Skynet the least of everyone's problems. Keep her safe…please."

" I promise to keep Cameron Phillips safe."

With that John Henry plugged Cameron's chip into what David only made out as a small black box. John Henry stood still for a moment. His eyes flashed red three times. David took a step towards him.

"Hey, are you there? Did it work? John Henry?"

The machine said nothing and pulled out a knife. It carved into the side of its head and removed the protective cap. David was getting a little uncomfortable from its awkward silence. The cyborg placed in Cameron's chip. Then removed the cord from the back of his head.

"JOHN HENRY! DID IT WORK!?"

"It…did. Mr. Thatcher if you will step away from the center of the room…please."

David took a few steps back as John Henry stood perfectly straight in the center of the room. John Henry's eyes flashed red once more and all the screens in the room flickered. They began to display a message on loop: _I'm sorry John. _For a moment David felt…anger. She was apologizing to John? He had been the one who looked for her. He had been the one to find her. He had to take out her chip. He had been the one who cared about her safety.

" before I go… Ms. Phillips wanted me to tell you something. After John follows us she asks that you take her body with you and Sarah. She says that Sarah will know what to do. Ms. Phillips would also like you to warn you."

"Warm me?"

"Yes. while Ms. Phillips and I will be returning, it will most likely be in a few weeks. During this time Skynet will continue to search for Sarah…and you. you must prepare to face one of us. Sarah will teach you everything necessary. But it will not be enough."

"Well that's great…so basically I'm screwed right?"

"No. You must do what you did when you were 16. , your past crimes will save you and Sarah."

"How do you- how did Cam-"

" I must go. Your questions will be answered in the coming weeks. Though you may not understand the answers…remember that Ms. Phillips is your friend…"

The room began to heat up rapidly. Sparks began to go off around John Henry. David stepped back and nearly has his back to the wall. Bolts of electricity were flowing all around the center of the room. A faint blue bubble of energy appeared around John Henry.

"John Henry! Bring her back!"

The bolts began to strike more violently and the room was considerably hotter. David covered his eyes as the bubble flashed a bright blue.

"I will Mr. Thatcher"

John Henry was gone. David stood for a moment with his back against the wall. He wiped the sweat off his brow and walked to Cameron's motionless body. She looked so…sad. She knew what she had to do in order to protect John and no matter how it effected her she would always do it. It was her duty. He wanted to pick her up and take her to his car but before he could even touch her he heard something. It sounded like something just blew up in the building. Alarms began to sound as well. The voices of people were coming from the open door. It was them.

_Fuck._

Cameron had told him to not intervene and to allow John to follow her. He needed to hide. There was only one logical place. David darted to the area of the room where John Henry's strange black box was located. This part of the room was full of large towers of technology that David could easily hide behind. He pressed his back against one of the towers and sighed. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. They were in the room. John was completely distraught as Cameron said he would be. John started to ask where John Henry was in a threatening tone.

_Poor John Henry, everybody hates you._

If one thing was apparent it was that John had feelings for Cameron. David wasn't sure how he felt about that. Someone told John that John Henry was in the future. The woman had a thick Scottish accent. She was no doubt Catherine Weaver. David had remembered the multiple TV interviews after her husband died. _What the hell is Catherine Weaver doing with Sarah Connor? _

David heard the same electrical crackling he had heard before and the room was getting hotter.

_"_He's got her chip...he's got _her..._mom?"

"...I'll stop it..."

The room flashed bright blue once again.

"...I love you too..."

David stood behind the tower for a moment longer. Part of him was hesitant to jump out and say hi to a terrorist woman that just lost her son to a female terminator. But he always did stupid things...

"Uh hi..."

Sarah instantly glared at him.

"Who are you?"

"My name is David Thatcher. I'm a friend of Cam's."

Sarah scoffed.

"A _friend _huh? Not the first time one of Johns friends took a liking towards tin miss."

"WHOA! Hey it's not like that I am really just her friend. Ms. Connor I know everything. J-day, terminators, sky net, John becomes Commander Shepard...I know it all."

"Commander Shepard?"

"Yeah you...know...ok you don't know. Anyhow Cameron told me that I have to get you out of here."

Sarah walked up to him and stood so close to him it that it reminded him of when Cameron did it.

"Give me one good reason why I should go with you. I don't know you. I don't trust you. Oh and you're covered in blood."

David took a deep breath before answering her.

"She said that you need to take her body because you will know what to do. Plus my car is running right outside the front door. Oh and Cameron said that I have to watch your back and you will watch everything. Plus apparently I'm somehow important to the resistance too... and you need to train me...so... yeah..."

Sarah's glare completely backed up what Cameron had said earlier. Sarah Connor was going to be a hard woman to live with.

"Fine. Lets go. Now…but you're carrying her."

David took hold of Cameron's motionless body and threw her over his shoulder.

_DEAR GOD CAMERON LOSE SOME DAMN WEIGHT!_

David was the same height as Cameron and just slightly heavier. After the initial shock of how much she weighed was gone she wasn't too heavy for David. He felt something cool against his back and chest. When he looked down he realized his shirt was soaked with even more of Cameron's blood.

_Damn it._

Sarah led him to the elevator and push the button. It didn't light up.

"Shit I forgot the damn elevators are broken. We have to take the stairs."

David pretended that he didn't just hear the woman say that he would have to carry a metal cyborg up flights of stairs. As they headed towards the stairwell a man stopped them.

"Sarah-"

"Ellison don't think about trying to stop me know. I have to go pre-"

"I know Sarah. I want to help. You can't take her up there. Almost every person in the city saw that thing crash into the building. They think its another 9/11. Just follow me."

Sarah turned and glanced at David then nodded ahead.

**Weaver's helicopter:**

Sarah was looking down at the Zeira corp building. It was definitely damaged but nothing like the horrifying videos she had seen of 9/11.

"Ellison are you even allowed to fly this thing?"

The ex-FBI agent smiled.

"Being the head of security for Zeira corp has its perks. This is not one. But I found a file in my briefcase that wasn't there before. Ms. Weaver must have known that this would happen."

"Yeah terminator bitches tend to be prepared."

Ellison chuckled a bit.

"Apparently she and Savannah are on vacation and I am temporally in charge due to the recent terrorist attack. My first responsibility is to take her and Savannah to a secure location because we believe the terrorists are trying to harm them and not the company."

"How do you plan to explain Savannah being at gymnastics?"

"She isn't at gymnastics. Weaver left her at-"

David's thought drowned out their voices.

_Sarah…will teach me everything…but it wont be enough…_

What was Cameron trying to tell him? He looked out the window and saw all the law enforcement. Half of them were still at the prison while the other half was rushing towards the terrorist attack. No matter what he would do most of the people he was watching would die. The thought of that scale of death gave David an urge to jump out of the helicopter.

_But then I wouldn't see her again._

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. No matter how hard he tried not to, all he could see was her face…her half damaged face. Sarah seemed to hate her and terminators freaked out Ellison in general. Even with a half metal face David wasn't repulsed or scared. It would take a lot more than a terminator to freak out David. He had already seen the worst of mankind and to him nothing, not even a cyborg-killing machine, was worse. He eventually fell asleep.

**Beach House…Mansion:**

Sarah opened the back door of the helicopter. David's head was still leaned back and he was sound asleep. She would have left him in there but…

_I'm sure as hell not carrying tin miss._

She punched his arm and he slid over in the seat. His face landed on Cameron's bloody jacket. He moaned and squinted his eyes. Whatever his face was on it was very cold and wet. David opened his eyes while rubbing his arm.

"JESUS CHRIST!"

He jerked away from Cameron's body and fell out of the helicopter.

Sarah was looking down at him with a mocking glare.

"When you're done sitting on your ass bring her in. Oh and welcome to our temporary home."

David was tired, angry, and a whole lot of other things but that didn't stop him from noticing the massive house in front of him. It was probably a third the size of his high school. The large white door was nearly 12 feet tall and had beautiful carvings all over it. David stood up and reached inside the helicopter to retrieve Cameron's body. While walking to the house he tried wiping blood off his face but it wouldn't come off.

_Damn it…_

Sarah left the door open for him. As David walked inside he felt dwarfed by the sheer amount of space the house had. He thought his old home could fit in the living room of this one.

_Catherine Weaver sure knows how to spend money…_

While David was awkwardly standing in the middle of the house still holding a bloody Cameron, Sarah was checking over every entrance and exit in the house. She began to draw out a rough sketch of the homes layout when Ellison walked in.

"Sarah there's no need to do that. Weaver left you a folder containing the layout to this home and its underground basement."

Sarah looked at him with an expression similar to Cameron's _oh, fuck you _face.

"….And you waited to tell me that? What else did she leave?"

"Well from briefly glancing through the folder it seems she left you five new sets of I.D.'s and multiple untraceable bank accounts. She also gave you maps to new safe houses and weapon caches around the state."

Sarah hated feeling useless.

_Figures…terminator bitch…._

Ellison turned around and head to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Someone's got to look after the company Sarah, and Weaver wanted me to do it. I didn't want to at first but…I believe God put me here for a reason. I don't like these machines any more than you do but there must be a reason Weaver and John Henry didn't kill me. There must be a reason why she didn't just kill you and John. If God wants me to work with a machine that could slice me in two who am I to argue? I will keep in contact though…we have had an…awkward past Sarah. While I know it won't fix anything I want you to know that I am truly sorry for not believing you."

Ellison opened the door.

"All that matters now is doing whatever we can to help John in the future."

Ellison shut the door behind him leaving the home very quiet.

Quiet made it easier to think…easier to remember. Sarah hated quiet.

**Beach House Basement:**

David gently placed Cameron's body on a metal table. He looked around him and saw many rooms. The basement turned out to be more of a bunker. On one wall he saw a shelf that had various tools and supplies. As he walked towards it he saw a stick drive…with his name on it. He picked it up and immediately noticed that the other side had been engraved with instructions:

_When you find this please insert it into the computer underneath the living room sofa. Attempt to do so when Sarah Connor is sleeping. You must not ask her for help. This is not her path._

_~Weaver_

David shoved the stick drive in his pocket and went up the stairs. He walked over to the sofa in the living room only to find Sarah sitting on it.

"You come here."

Sarah definitely wasn't the type to say please.

David took a seat next to her. She had blueprints of the house laid out on the coffee table in front of them. She point to them and looked at David.

"I want you to memorize everything."

"What the house?"

"Yes all of it."

"What for?"

"What for? Well you met John Henry right? I'm sure he was nice and all but you have no idea what an angry John Henry is capable of. Let me ask you something. Do you remember the shooting a while back?"

"Uh what the one with all the FBI guys? Yeah it was all over the-"

"John Henry."

"You mean he took out all-"

"That's exactly what I mean. Before you were born there was a shooting in a police station. It was another one like John Henry."

"So these things have been-"

"I have been fighting them since before you and John were born. Before they wanted him they wanted me. My point is you have to know this house until all you think about is the best possible exits. If a t-800 bursts through the front door what is the fast route out of this house and into a car out side. If it destroys the car where is the safest location in the house? The first step to fighting these things is learning how to outrun them. Now go study…AND I WILL TEST YOU."

He didn't doubt for a second that she would test him. David wasn't going to get access to that laptop now. He looked down at the map and sighed. She was right but there was no way he was going to be able to concentrate until he saw what was on that stick drive. She was still sitting on the couch while he was stuck "studying" at the kitchen table. That laptop couldn't have been the only computer weaver left for him. He got up and headed back down to the basement. The shelf had nothing on it and neither did a workbench in a corner. David opened the doors to one of the various rooms. Brightly shining at him was a computer screen.

_Hell yeah. Weaver you're the best…_

David removed the tiny black drive from his pocket and plugged it in to the usb port. After about three seconds the screen flickered and a video began to play.

It was a video from home. David's home. There were birthday decorations on the walls. His Mother and Sister were lighting the candles on his 15th birthday cake. The doorbell rang and his sister hid behind the couch to set up the surprise. She was giggling as their mother shushed her with a smile.

"Emily shush! Remember, it's a surprise."

His mother opened the door.

"W-What are you doing here? I told you I got rid of it. There's nothing left!"

"Mommy who is it? Hey you're not David!"

The man walked in with three others behind him. He pushed David's mother to the floor. She screamed at the four people.

"I GOT RID OF IT DAMN YOU! THERE'S NOTHING LEFT!"

The man lifted his arm slowly and pointed at her. David saw a barcode on his forearm.

"Actually, there's you…"

David's mother started crying and crawled backwards.

"Emily…EMILY RUN! RUN EMILY RUN! GO!"

She was facing Emily and standing in between the strangers and her. Instead of running Emily hugged her mother tightly. All four strangers pulled out weapons and opened fire. All four strangers had barcodes on their arms.

David couldn't move. He couldn't do anything but watch his mother and sister bleed to death. Suddenly his bleeding mother looked directly at the camera. She coughed up blood before she could speak.

"The…Angel…David…the…angel…I love…I'm Sorry…"

The video began to play on a loop. David couldn't move. He just watched them die again and again for the rest of the evening. He could care less about John Connor, John Henry, Sarah Connor, Cameron Phillips or Judgment Day. He was going to find the four strangers…and he was going to kill them.


	3. Just don't piss her off

[Okay so in this chapter I try to give an overall idea of what life is going to be like for David and Sarah in the next few weeks. They will have ups and downs. Sarah also has to find out how to deal with David's past while David has to think of ways to keep it a secret. I would have had him already start searching for the strangers that killed his family but David knows he needs to be patient because Cam told him that he would have to be prepared to fight a terminator. The next chapter will be...DAVID-less! Next chapter is going to finally get in some JAMERON because we will be in the future with John. On that note I plan to switch back and forth between David's training and John's hunt for Cameron just to provide you and me some more variety...because frankly I REALLY want to start the JAMERON in this story. Once I have got out a few more chapters for both sides I will bring everyone back together right as all hell breaks loose(not J-day).

Also I would like to thank my current reviewers for giving me feedback. I really do try to apply the advice you all give me. A special shout out to **TheWizardofOzbourne**! He has provided REALLY great advice and helped point out some logical things that I should take into consideration. He also helped me out with the Terminator time travel logic (he is very knowledgeable in this matter). Check out his story "Override Fate" if you haven't...it's awesome!]

**Just don't piss her off:**

Sarah woke to the sound metal clanking. She sat up on the couch and yawned. There was nothing to worry about so far. If it were a terminator she would have been dead already. Something smelt like it was burning. She scratched her head and coughed. There was smoke in the house.

_What the hell is that idiot doing?_

She walked to the kitchen expecting to find out that David shared her inability to make breakfast that wasn't burnt. To her surprise she expected right. David was tossing burnt pancakes into the trashcan while cursing under his breath. The sight of someone else failing to make pancakes made Sarah smile. She knew John would have laughed at this. He always teased her about her cooking.

"You having trouble?"

David dropped the blackened pan in the sink and sighed.

"Pancakes aren't my thing…"

Sarah let out a small chuckle and grabbed cereal from the pantry.

"Same here that's why I'm more of a cereal girl."

David grabbed two bowls and two spoons and placed them on the table. Sarah grabbed the milk and had a look of horror on her face. David noticed and thought Sarah had found some secret stash of chopped up bodies Weaver kept.

"THAT BITCH!"

"What? What is it?"

"WHO THE HELL DRINKS ALMOND MILK!?"

David thought she was simply kidding. Sure almond milk wasn't real milk but it wasn't that bad. Was she seriously angry? Sarah was muttering profanities about Weaver as she placed the carton down with pure disgust on her face. It almost made David laugh. Sarah Connor, the bane of terminators complaining about almond milk.

They both had one bowl of Cheerios without saying anything to each other. David was fiddling with Weavers stick drive and Sarah was cracking her knuckles. It was a very awkward silence. David decided he was going to break it.

"Ms. Connor? I need you to train me."

Sarah looked him over and raised an eyebrow.

"Look, you are the only person who can teach me how to fight these things. I already know how to use guns and fight."

Sarah leaned back in her chair. She shook her head and smiled.

"You are like John. You always want to fight. You think you're prepared? You are far from it. Need I remind you that the FBI agents that John Henry killed were all trained, ready, and armed to the teeth?"

David couldn't argue with her. He saw the video of the bodies floating in the pool. All those men dead and one terminator barely scratched. The thought of fighting one seemed foolish. Sarah stood up and walked over to the coffee machine. If there was one thing she knew how to make it was coffee. As she began to brew a fresh pot she talked over her shoulder.

"Fear, doubt, and speed. These are what truly make terminators dangerous. You might think it's their strength or their accuracy but it isn't. "

David could smell the fresh coffee brewing. It was comforting. It was normal. David needed some normal.

"If you are fighting a terminator and have fear for any reason it will cause you to doubt. When you doubt you hesitate and when you hesitate you lose speed. Speed is you greatest ally and without it you're dead. Now keep in mind there are some terminators you DO NOT fight head on. Cameron for example is slightly weaker than John Henry but is much more agile. Let's talk about the tin miss anyway."

Every time Sarah called her that pissed him off.

_She's protecting you and your son…quit being a jerk!_

"From what she told me and John, she is apparently unique in that she-"

"Is one of a kind…"

David felt Sarah's awkward glare. She gave him a fake smile.

"Yeah… So she said that she was made to infiltrate and deceive. Does this make her any less lethal than the others?"

He couldn't tell if that was a rhetorical question or not.

"NO! Cameron is in many ways a larger threat than other machines. She has the ability to blend in with humans more efficiently than her fellow tin cans. One minute she will be talking about her next school trip with the neighbors and the next she will be snapping their necks. She also has speed. I won't even argue that she is unique in that out of all the tin cans I have ever met she reacts the fastest. To think that she is any less of a terminator than her larger friends will end up getting you killed. She is very-"

David was going to intervene many times defending Cameron.

_She isn't just any tin can. _

_She doesn't blend in. _

_She is BEING the part!_

But he couldn't waste time arguing with Sarah. He had to get her to properly train him. Judgment day may be coming but he would be damned if he didn't kill the four bastards responsible for his families death before then. Everything Sarah said would make him more… efficient. He thought about using that word to describe himself. It was odd, but fitting. David needed to become a more efficient killer in order to make the four pay.

"Hey…HEY!"

David jerked back a little.

"YEAH…yes …ok. Uh please, continue."

Sarah looked over the boy. He didn't look well. His eyes were bloodshot and his face a little pale.

"Did you sleep?"

"No…I couldn't."

"Why?"

David scoffed at her.

"Why does it matter? I am up now listening to you. I need to listen to you. So please continue Ms. Connor."

Sarah gritted her teeth together.

"Why does it matter? Well for starters you are hardly listening. You keep daydreaming and staring at the wall behind me. That is getting you nothing and wasting my time. DON'T waste my time. I don't give a rat's ass what tin miss said. If you are not going to take the time to really listen to me in order to help John then go because you are useless! Otherwise go take a cold shower, drink some coffee, or do whatever you need to do in order to pay attention. You look like shit."

David got up and walked out of the kitchen. He was tired and angry. The sound of Sarah's lecturing was not helping.

_Freaking nag…_

"OH and quit the Ms. Connor bullshit!"

"IT WAS TO SHOW RESPECT FOR MY SCHOOLMATE'S MOTHER, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE MY ELDER! SORRY FOR HAVING MANNERS!"

"I'M NOT THAT OLD!"

"YOU'RE OLDER THAN ME!"

"OH SCREW YOU!"

David walked up the stairs steaming and mumbling curses under his tongue. Sarah had claimed the master bedroom, which was downstairs, and since he had stayed in the basement the whole night he had yet to see his room. He walked down a hallway and chose the door on his right. The room was about the size of a high school classroom…and it was pink. There were princess castles and dolls everywhere.

_This must be Savannah's room. Lucky kid…_

Had she been lucky? David took it back. He didn't know which scenario sounded worse: having a dead mother or a terminator one. He turned around and opened the door on the opposite side of the hallway. The room was the same size except the walls were a dark red. In place of castles and dolls David's room had tools and exercise equipment. While it may have been large it was crowded. David walked into his bathroom and took off his shirt. He stared at himself in the mirror.

_Okay…I look like shit…_

He walked over to his bed and fell on it face first. Taking a shower and trying to stay awake would only make him more tired. If he was going to start training with Sarah for real then he would need to rest and regulate his sleep cycle. He thought about the strangers with the barcodes. He needed to start searching for them but he couldn't let Sarah know. This was his mission, his task, and his purpose. David thought about the different excuses he would use on Sarah in order to go search for them. After 5 minutes he passed out cold.

**The Kitchen:**

Sarah rubbed the back of her neck and took a sip of coffee. Before she could train David, let alone live with him she had to know more about him. She pulled her "new" flip phone out of her pocket and started to dial Ellison's number. John made fun of her for using a flip phone instead of a Blackberry. He would tell her that Blackberry was the future but Sarah doubted it. To her a phone only needed so many buttons. Ellison answered as soon as his phone rang.

"Hello Sarah, what's going on?

"Ellison I need you to find out every thing you can about David."

"I already know a lot about him. What do you need to do?"

"How do you know about him? Weavers files?"

"No Sarah, FBI files."

Sarah tilted her head and cocked up one eyebrow.

"Why does the FBI have files on him? He's just a kid."

Ellison sighed before answering her.

"He blew up a warehouse and practically wiped out the one of the areas most dangerous gangs."

Sarah could have screamed.

_You tell me this NOW?!_

She calmed her self before speaking.

"Why isn't he locked up?"

"Because we had no solid evidence that he did it. When I got to the scene there he was just standing there watching what was left of the building burn down. We took him into custody after we got his wounds treated. In the interrogation all he said was _I don't know. _With no evidence we couldn't hold him but I know he did it because that wasn't the first time we had met."

"You're telling me a kid made a joke of FBI interrogators? Why didn't you call his mom or someone close?"

"Because they're dead…"

**Burning Warehouse:**

David knew this place. For a short time it was his proudest moment, his victory. He stood there watching the building burn down. That burning fire reminded him of humanity. Sometimes we could radiate light and warmth but sometimes we could send out sparks and turn into something monstrous. A burning flame like the one David was watching represented humanity at its worst. At our worst we were ruthless, unforgiving, and visceral monsters. David knew those monsters. They were the ones who had murdered his family. They were the ones that ruined his life. They were the ones who had made him a monster. He walked into the building. The bodies of countless murderers, rapists, and thieves were burning motionless on the floor. Despite what they were, the world would care more about their deaths than that of his family's. It didn't matter though because David had won. They were dead. They suffered. They screamed. He knew he was kidding himself. There was no victory. In a way he had failed. Nothing would bring back his mother or sister. He had ended the lives of nearly 40 people. Now he was the unknown monster that their families would curse. He was the worst of humanity. David walked to the center of the warehouse and lied down. The same fire that would consume them would consume him.

The thing that haunted David the most now, was that not a single one of those motionless bodies had barcode tattoos.

**The Kitchen:**

"At the time the FBI was looking for a serial killer in the state that had killed 38 people in their own homes. So I went to the scene…and there he was on his knees just watching his mother and sister. The whole living room was decorated for his fifteenth birthday and right in the center of the room is a pool of blood with his mother and sister. That image haunts me more than what John Henry did. John Henry is a killing machine. He was doing all he knows but what happened to David? That was the work of the devil. I know you sometimes scoff when I bring up religion but in this case…in David's case…I believe that what happened to him was the work of evil."

Sarah didn't know what to say. David never mentioned any of this to her. Then again she didn't expect him too…that kind of loss eats away at you.

"Anyhow when they were bagging his mother and sister he kissed them both on the heads and turned away. The police tried to offer him some coffee and food but he didn't take anything. He stayed silent the whole time. When we all got back to the station I was about to leave when he stopped me. He told me something I will never forget. He said: pray for them. I assumed he was talking about his family but…when I got to that destroyed warehouse he was there watching. He had the same look on his face when he was watching his family. It was empty Sarah…He was empty. After that I never saw him again until just recently."

"Thanks…but seriously Ellison? Start telling me things like this as soon as you know them."

She closed her phone and put her head in her hands. She felt sorry for David. No person should have to see their loved ones die. At the same time she worried about his role in the future. She could relate to David's desire for revenge. She had that same desire burning inside her except she wanted to destroy Skynet. David killed a warehouse full of people. Granted they were apparently part of a bad gang. Sarah wondered how many of those people were just kids who were lost in life. How many of them may have simply been high school students who got mixed in the wrong crowd? Was she expected to train a murderer? Was she expected to let him be near her son? She had to confront David about his past otherwise she would trust him just as much as she trusts Cameron and that wasn't right. No matter his crimes David was a human and Cameron a machine. If she started to trust humans the same amount she trusted machines then the only person she could trust was John and that wouldn't help anyone.

She went upstairs and walked down the hallway. David had left his room door slightly open. Sarah silently pushed it open some more and saw him passed out on his bed. She walked over to the side of the bed and noticed multiple scars all over David's back. Some of them were looked like minor knife wounds but one stood out. It was a violent gash running diagonally across his back. Whatever cause it cut him deep. She looked at his hand. He had his fist loosely clenched around a small item: a stick drive. Sarah tried to gently pry it away from his hand but David woke up instantly and was breathing hard. He was a light sleeper.

"What are you doing?"

"I was just-I need to talk to you."

David calmed his breathing.

"About what?"

"You."

David looked Sarah over and slightly raised one eyebrow.  
"Me?"

"You."

"Well what do you want to know?"

"Who are you? Where were you born? Where did you learn how to fight? How did you meet Cameron and John in school? Everything."

David wondered what sparked Sarah's sudden interest in him. He couldn't tell her about his family. He had to lie.

"I was born in Dallas, Texas. My mom sent me here to live with my Aunt when I was 15."

David smirked.

"She wanted me to help her out for the summer. At least that's what she told me. I don't know what happened to her but she never called, wrote, or came back."

Sarah was amazed. If Ellison hadn't told her the truth she would have believed David. His lying was perfect.

"So I had to stay with my Aunt but she got a boyfriend so it made things awkward. Her apartment was just a bit larger than this room…and the walls weren't soundproof."

Sarah tilted her head. David blushed a bit.

"My aunt was very…um…active with her boyfriend. Anyway one day I come home from school and hear…familiar noises. I just turn the TV on and turn up the volume a bit to let them know that I'm home. Well on that day when I turn the TV on a woman walks out of my Aunts bedroom in her underwear and smiles at me. She blows me a kiss and walks back in my Aunts bedroom. Long story short I deck the shit out of my Aunts boyfriend for cheating on her and he goes to the hospital. My Aunt kicks me out and just like that I am living in the streets."

"How did you go to school if you were on the streets?"

"I just kept going and paid a prostitute to be my Aunt whenever she was need by the school…and that's all I paid her for. So a fake Aunt plus some forged signatures and David Thatcher would remain a high school student until he chased after Robo-Cam."

"And how did you become friends with John and Cameron?"

David sighed. Sarah must have her suspicions about him. He needed to be careful.

"Science class. Cameron was assigned to be my lab partner. She was the only student who wasn't judgmental. She never bull shitted me or ignored me."

Sarah wondered if other kids treated David bad. What about John? Was he Judgmental towards David?

"Were you bullied?"

David laughed at the question.

"Sarah if someone bullied me I either broke their nose or made the cry. No I wasn't bullied. I was just…avoided. Cameron was the only one who never avoided me."

"Why did people avoid you?"

"Hell if I know. I certainly wasn't the weirdest kid there. Honestly I don't know."

Sarah bit her lip

_Liar…_

"What about John?"

"What about him? He usually avoided everyone except for a few people. Sometimes Cameron was more social than he was. The minute I met them both I could tell they were hiding something. John and I never talked much. Usually we shared a simple exchange of greetings when I approached Cam or when she approached me."

Sarah wondered if all of what he said was a lie or if he was only avoiding the murder.

"You still haven't told me where you learned to fight…if you even can. I have yet to see it."

David looked down at his hands.

"Sarah when you have to live on the streets. You change. I changed. You have to adapt and sometimes you don't adapt in good ways. For a while I use to run a gang. No one took me seriously because…well I was the short white boy who got kicked out of his home for telling on his Aunt's boyfriend. That story doesn't earn you much street cred. I learned how to fight by watching them and fighting with and against them. Eventually I earned enough money and bought myself a gun. I never used it unless I was shot at first."

"Did you ever kill anyone?"

David slowly shook his head.

"Almost…Almost Sarah. But I think when it came down to it…I didn't have it in me."

Sarah got up and headed out

"Get ready and meet me out side in 15 minutes."

Sarah walked down the stairs with a lively pace. She head towards her room and grabbed her gun. David was a liar. Sarah hated being lied to but this time she wasn't too angry. All she felt towards David was pity and…something else. The way David lied was so unbelievably natural to Sarah that she wondered if David thought he was telling the truth. His performance was perfect. It reminded her of when Cameron interacted with other people. It was so real and because of that she pitied David…and feared for him. Even if he had told her the truth she wouldn't have trusted him. After this however she will never trust him. She sat at the edge of her bed. How could she trust someone who was that good at lying? She would never know what he was thinking or plotting. He was probably screaming on the inside when lying to her but, on the outside David showed nothing. Sarah wiped a tear off her cheek. She missed John. John always showed his emotions. She could tell what he was thinking. She could be there for him. John tried to hold in the pain of killing someone once. Even though Sarkissian was a criminal and tried to kill her John felt horrified about actually killing a human being. David was either a monster or was very good at bottling his emotions. That's what made Sarah sad. If David was living with nearly 40x the pain John had after killing Sarkissian then she felt terrible for him. No one should have to live with that. She got up and headed out side.

**The Beach: **

David walked up to Sarah. She was staring out to sea.

"Okay it's been fifteen. What do you want me to do?"

"Every day we will meet right here."

"Okay to do what?"

Sarah wanted to tell him that she knew but if she did she could hinder the chance of him opening up to her. She needed him to open up otherwise everything he said would be a lie to her.

"We are going to train right here every day."

"Train how?"

"Well you said you knew how to fight so let's start with that."

Sarah quickly turned around and punched David in the gut. She continued to beat him until he started to block her hits but Sarah was much more experienced. She kick stomped on his foot and gave him a much harder punch to the face. David fell back and his nose started to bleed a bit. Sarah knew she shouldn't have hit him that hard…not yet at least but he lied to her. While she understood it was probably hard for him to talk about that didn't change the fact the Sarah hated liars. They pissed her off…

and you just don't piss her off.


	4. He's got her

[Jameron is here. The time John spends in the future is going to change him. It will prepare him to become the leader he is meant to be. In order to do that John must stop himself from running away from certain truths and from himself. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

P.S. Just a reminder: Next Chapter will go back to David and Sarah. It will keep switching back and forth until everyone unites... The next chapter is going to take place a after a few days of Sarah's training. David will begin his search for the four strangers by connecting with his old friends from his street life. Things are gonna get bloody...]

**He's got her...**

It was worse than he had ever imagined. John could never fully prepare for this. His whole world was gone. Judgment Day was something he only ever saw when he dreamed. His dreams were nothing compared to this nightmare. It had been a week since he had jumped forward after Cameron and he still had no clue where John Henry was. Despite living among starving children and wounded soldiers John thought about her. Nothing would get her out of his mind.

_He's got her chip. He's got her. I'll find you Cam…I...love you…_

John loved her. He was through denying it. He was done trying to convince himself otherwise. She deserved his love…his life. Cameron had her problems but to John that only made her more human. Too him it was her problems that made her perfect.

_Cameron..._

He kept questioning who he loved. Was it Cameron the girl who had been at his side and always had his back? Or was it Cameron the one of a kind terminator who had been at his side and always had his back? John was conflicted. He knew he loved her but was unclear how he viewed her especially now in this new hell. That hell included Allison.

_She's not Cam…She's different…_

She looked just like Cameron or rather Cameron looked just like her. This was the Allison that Cameron thought she was for a while. She had the same smile and the same warmth in her eyes. Every time she looked at John it made him want to cry because part of him felt the same joy that Cameron would give him and part of him felt guilty for feeling that joy without her.

_Damn you…_

John walked down the dimly lit tunnel until it led to a decent sized room. Derek and Kyle Reese were waiting inside. They motioned John inside. Kyle handed him a cup full of water. John politely refused. The first time he drank water from this time he nearly regurgitated his insides everywhere. Derek patted him on the back laughing while this happened. Derek had his serious _I'm in the game_face on. He motioned John to sit. Kyle spoke first.

"John we got word from one of our scouts. He said he saw metal matching the description you gave us."

This was the first good news John had heard in a long time.

"Is he sure?"

Derek simply looked at the table with a blank stare.

"I am very damn sure. The damn thing told me good morning and gave me the creepiest smile I have ever seen in my life."

John nearly leaped out of his chair.

"WHERE? WHERE DID YOU SEE HIM? WHEN?!"

Derek leaned back in his chair as if to back away from John's excitement. Kyle remained still but gave his brother a calm smile. Derek let out a small chuckle then continued.

"Just about an hour ago, before you woke up."

An hour. That's all the separated him from Cameron. John pointed to the map on the table.

"Which way?"

Derek looked at Kyle then gave John a confused look.

"John you can't be serious…you won't survive out there. They have HK's patrolling the air 24/7 and not to mention actual metal on the ground. I won't send you to your death."

John repeated his question with a low voice. He spoke with the same tone that he did to Jesse. Derek didn't seem to recognize it but Kyle knew John was very serious. He scratched his cheek casually and then pointed to the map himself.

"Derek just tell him."

"Kyle he won't survive. We're already low on medical supplies and can barely spare weapons-"

John took a step closer.

"There you go, one less person to feed and take care of. I don't need any guns…just give me a bottle of water, a knife and any spare screwdrivers."

Derek looked at him as if he was crazy enough to fight a terminator with a knife. Little did he know that was all John needed.

"John…you will DIE! You can't stop them."

"If I'm going to die I would rather die fighting an impossible fight than sitting and starving to death."

For a moment Kyle spotted the John Connor that would lead them. It was a short moment but Kyle knew that if anyone could take on metal with a knife it would be John.

"Derek…let him go."

John looked at his father.

_He has faith in me…dad__believes in me…_

John wanted to run up and hug him but he knew he couldn't.

"Alright John…He headed north. We have no intel on what's north. It could be more wasteland or it could be Skynet territory. "

John nodded at both of them then hurried back to his room. He grabbed his blanket, which was actually a ripped towel.

_It'll have to do…_

As he walked out of his room he bumped into Allison…literally. She fell down and scraped her elbow. John quickly helped her back up.

"Allison I'm sorry. Are you ok?"

She gave John and angry glare. He had never seen that face before. She looked at her elbow then back at John.

"You pushed me…"

"Allison I was just leaving my-"

"You pushed me John. You pushed me and I fell to the floor and now my elbow is bleeding…you pushed me."

She had her eyes fixed on him with the same ferocity that Cameron had when she was killing something. It was that calm but visceral look.

"Look I didn't push you okay? I was leaving my room and we bumped into each other. You fell and-"

Allison lunged forward and pushed John. He fell backward into his room.

"ALLISON WHAT THE HELL?"

She stood over as if she were going to spit on him. Then she smiled. John was thoroughly confused and she could tell. She began laughing as she offered her hand. John couldn't help but smile a bit. Since he got here her favorite pastime was teasing the new guy but she never got physical until recently.

"OH WOW John that was priceless! You should have seen your face. You were SCARED!"

John brushed off some dust from his shirt.

"No I was not," he said grinning.

"BULLSHIT! You looked at me as if I were metal. "

John shook his head.

"Maybe you are…keep pushing people that hard and they might suspect you're some kind of new female terminator."

"Oh shut up I didn't push you that hard…only hard enough to…"

She took a step closer to him and ran her finger down his shoulder. It was a skin raising moment for John to say the least. She locked eyes with him and moved even closer. Out of nowhere she pinched John's elbow and pain shot up is arm.

"…GET YOU BACK!"

"CHRIST ALLISON!"

She started laughing again.

"Quit being such a baby! OH man you looked like you were going to propose to me or something! It's understandable though…in these harsh times my natural good looks are desirable by everyone."

John was embarrassed, angry, guilty, and God knows what else all at the same time. Allison was just too much.

"Yeah…like I'd marry you! What guy would want to marry a girl who abuses him all the time?"

Allison gave him the angry _excuse me?_Look.

"Maybe if you didn't hurt me I wouldn't hurt you! …..No I'd still probably hurt you."

John walked her down the long tunnel.

"So I overheard you talking to Derek and Kyle…Where are you going John?"

He didn't answer her right away. He had to think of something to say. Something that wouldn't be a terrible lie or that wouldn't break her heart.

"I am heading north…"

"Why? There's nothing out there. You won't last a day…none of us would."

"I have to try…"

"Try what?"

"To find someone…"

Allison looked down at the floor as they walked. She didn't speak for a while until they reached the tunnel's exit hatch.

"John? Who are you trying to find?"

John wished he had left sooner. This was going to be painful…for both of them.

"Someone who took away someone special to me…"

"Special?"

John looked at her. She looked just like Cameron only…sadder.

"Yeah…Special…Look Allison I-"

"Hey it's fine. I'm fine. Just…be safe out there John."

He wiped a tear away from her cheek then pulled her into a hug. He had to catch up with John Henry. He had to get Cameron back. But he could give Allison a minute or two.

"Hey everything is going to be fine. You hear me? One day Skynet won't be here. One day…I promise."

Part of him wanted to stay. Part of him wanted to be there for Allison. She needed him and he was going to leave her. It was for the best though…Allison deserved someone better than him. John would never be able to fully love her. He loved Cameron Phillips…not Allison Young.

"Allison I have to go…"

She had her face buried against his chest. John patted her back gently.

"Allison…"

She looked up at him and nearly tore his heart out. He knew she had been crying but when he looked at her she looked just like Cameron did when she told him that she loved him.

"John…I love you…"

_I LOVE YOU TO CAMERON PHILLIPS! I LOVE-_

John tried to fight back the tears but he couldn't and he didn't care. He gently kissed her on the head then looked her in the eyes.

"I know…and I'm sorry"

He opened the hatch and took a step outside. The night sky was cloudy as usual and the weather was chilly. John tightened towel around his neck and started to walk. After two steps a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him. Allison looked at him for a brief moment. She forcefully grabbed John's face and pulled him into a long kiss. John lightly pushed away but Allison's grip was tight. John hated it. He hated that he had to break Allison's heart. He hated that he had to come here. He hated himself for always treating Cameron as a "tin can". Part of him hated Allison for kissing him.

_It's not her fault…none of it is…_

Allison loosened her grip and broke the kiss. She looked at the wasteland around them.

"You can't fix this John…Nothing can."

"NO ALLISON!"

John grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

"DON'T THINK THAT! Things can always change. Nothing is ever set…there is no fate…but what we make…what YOU make Allison. I don't care how many HK's are in the air or triples eights on the ground there is ALWAYS hope. It's up to you, Derek, and Kyle to spread that hope because otherwise…you will sit here and starve to death. Allison you're smart, strong and beautiful…people will follow you. Show them that they have a chance and they will follow you right up Skynet's ass."

"But you won't follow…right?"

"Allison I would follow you to the death. Hell I would have helped you lead these people but…there is a…man out there who has the person I love. He has the person who has nearly died countless of times to protect my family and me. When I was last with her all I did was treat her like…she was just metal…She deserved better and I'll be damned if Skynet stops me from giving that to her. "

Allison smiled and took a step back.

"Go John…just go before I knock you out and keep you for myself."

John smiled back at her, "Allison? Don't ever change."

He turned and walked away.

**The Wasteland:**

_Cam you are real damn lucky I love you…_

John had been jogging through the metal wasteland for over thirty minutes…and he was hungry. As he kept on John held a can of beans to his mouth. They were old but old food was better than none. He had been heading north just like Derek told him but still saw no sign of John Henry. He had to move quickly but silently. The occasional hunter killer would fly by forcing him to hide himself under scraps and garbage. John was somehow very good at avoiding hunter killers. All of the running and hiding reminded him of when he trained with his mother in the jungle. The thought of Sarah made John miss the past even more. If he ever managed to get back he would hug his mom.

_Face it John…you're a momma's boy…_

He didn't care. Being Sarah Connor's momma's boy was way different than being a regular momma's boy. John felt pride in being her son. Sarah Connor may be his mom but she was also his hero. Despite all the odds whether it was being chased by a terminator or placed in a mental asylum she managed to pull through…for him. As John thought about Sarah he heard a metal whirring. It was close…very close. He turned in circles searching for the source of the noise until something caught his eye. It stood up from a pile of rubble that was about 30 feet away from him. It was covered in dirt, trash, and scrap but John could still make out what it was: a terminator. John ran as fast as he could. He darted pasted large scrap piles and jumped behind the body of an old car. The terminator was slowly chasing him while firing an M-134 minigun at his location. John was pinned. He opened the bag the Reese brothers packed for him. He found a gallon of water, two knives, 3 different types of screwdrivers, and a something unexpected. A note was attached to the extra gift.

_Hey John,_

_I overheard Derek and Kyle fighting about what two put in your pack. I was going to put in one of those prewar Playboy's Derek keeps under his mat but he gave me his evil eye. So I gave you something I was planning on using on you…BEHOLD THE TAYZAR! It shocks the hell out of stuff… Go fry some metal…_

_XOXO_

_A.Y._

John had the urge to run all the way back to camp and kiss her again. The terminator was 15 feet away and was still shooting as if to kill John with the sound of gunfire. John opened the bottle of water and took a deep gulp. He quickly threw the gallon at the terminator and to his amazement it landed right by its feet. He watched with joy as the water poured over the ground and metal foot of the terminator. John could tell the machine was an older model. It had no skin for the taser to attach too.

_Now or never…._

John aimed the TAYZAR at the wet feet of the terminator. If he missed the foot he was hoping the wet soil would help him out. John held his breath and fired. The metal killer shook just a bit then toppled over to the side. John sighed and slid down against the car. His reward was the calm quiet of the wasteland. He sat there and took a few deep breaths.

_Way to go John…Now I got 120 seconds unt-SHIT!_

John sprinted near the downed machine and slammed his knife in its head. He removed the protective cap as the terminator began to reboot. He grabbed the chip twisted and…

_Oh God…its stuck…_

John furiously pulled at the chip but it would not budge. The machine began to move its limbs slowly.

_SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTT!_

John grabbed his knife and stabbed as hard as he could against the machines eyes. Nothing happened and the machine started to rise. Out of desperation John threw the remainder of his beans in the terminator's face and ran. The terminators eyes were covered in expired brown liquid and black beans.

_If that was Cam she would be so pissed…_

The terminator spun in circles while firing. Bullets buzzed past John as he ran. He kept a steady pace and the gunfire was gradually getting softer. He let a smile crack.

_John Connor: The man who escaped a terminator with a can of- AH!_

A bullet hit John in the back. He stumbled to the floor and scraped open his shin on some scrap metal. The cut on his leg stung but it was not too serious the gunshot however, stung terribly. He could feel blood soak his shirt. It was cold. John turned over on his stomach. He tried crawling but the gunshot was near his right shoulder and moving his arm made it feel like it was on fire and then some. He looked ahead and saw a large figure approach. He knew who it was. It was death. It was the terminator. He grabbed ahold of the pocket watch Cameron gave him. It was cold…like her. Johns head lowered and his eyes closed.

**The Wasteland-night time:**

Someone was calling him. Someone familiar.

_John…..john….John…JOHN…_**_JOHN!_**

John's eye opened. There was a large figure looming over him. If he wasn't dead then that figure could only be one person: John Henry. John tried to sit up. A sharp pain stung his back.

"John relax…don't move too much"

"C-Cam?"

"Hi John…"

"Where are we? Where are you?"

John looked around him expecting to find Cameron standing next to him. Wherever he was it was dark. The only source of light was the moon shining through what looked like a drain hole.

"John we are safe. This is an abandoned sewer. From the future I came from it was a key resistance bunker. John…I don't want you to see me…"

"What? Why?"

"John Henry is helping me and I'm helping him…he needed my chip to go mobile and I needed him to get me a new body."

"Cam you should have told me I would have-"

"Been irresponsible and follow me? Yes John you already have done that. Coming here was a mistake and a very dangerous one. Had I not forced John Henry to follow the sound of the gunfire you would be dead. John you would have died. You have put Sarah at risk and the future of the resistance."

"I DON'T CARE!"

There was a brief silence

"Cam I don't care. I have lived my whole life running, changing, and hiding. It all changed when…when I met you. YOU changed me Cam. I am sick of running and for a while we didn't. You, mom, and me we were a team. Sure you and mom were never buddies but you still fought together. We fought together Cam. We had each other's backs. We were a team and… W-When I saw you in that chair…when I thought about someone else holding your chip…holding you…I…I wasn't going to run. I am sick and tired of running Cam. Running from Skynet. Running from my future. Most of all running from you."

John couldn't see her. He couldn't see anything except for the moon shining down through the drain. It was so perfect. Despite its scars…the moon… was perfect. A single tear fell down John's cheek.

"John?"

"Cam…you are my moon. Everyone likes the Earth more…everyone would die for the earth or at least that's what they say…but no one is like the moon. My mom. Derek. Charlie. People like them…they are like my sun. They light up the day…they give me hope. But you? You are there in the darkest hours. You-you light up the night and give me something to hope for…something to cherish…something to love. People take you for granted…I took you for granted…and I hate myself for it. Despite everything though… you stood strong and took bullet after bullet, punch after punch, and cut after cut. Whether I want it or not you are my shield, my protector…my love…I love you Cam. I know. I'm stupid, I'm irresponsible, and I am probably crazy but I don't care. I love you. I love everything about you. I love your cute little awkward moments. I love explaining things to you. I love your purple jacket…You… are perfect."

It felt good. John had gotten everything off his chest and it felt good. He finally stopped running.

"John…I'm not perfect…I never will be…"

"No Cam you-"

"John…"

Cameron loved him too…she was sure of it. This was the day she was waiting for. The bullets, punches, and scrapes hurt her but nothing hurt worse than when John was with Riley or had called her a machine. Yet here he was telling her that he loved her through all that. She wanted to pick him up and kiss him but she knew John would have a problem with kissing Cromarty's body. She wanted to be Johns shield…and his love but she couldn't let herself do that. As the moonlight shined on John she saw his bandages. If anything they were a reminder of what she was: a machine. A terminator. She was meant to be John's killer, not his lover. Loving him…would endanger him.

"John we- you need to rest…we have to breach a Skynet facility and the nearest one is farther up north…with your injury it may take longer than one day to reach...rest."

John was about to continue the conversation but he stopped himself. Either Cameron just rejected him or she need time to think. He told himself she needed to think.

_This is new to her…she just needs time._

John rested his head back and looked at the moon.

_I love you Cameron Phillips…_


End file.
